Written Answers Friday 10 December 2010

Scottish Executive

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to individual NHS boards of sending patients with chronic pain to pain management centres outside of Scotland was in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10 and has been in 2010-11.

Nicola Sturgeon: The cost of sending patients with chronic pain to pain management centres outside Scotland was:

  (a) 2008-09 - £229,559

  (b) 2009-10 - £184,937

  (c) 2010-11 - £206,685 for the first six months.

  These costs are shared across all NHS boards as part of the national risk share arrangements administered by National Services Division. A board’s contribution is calculated on its percentage share of the baseline allocation.

  There has been an increase in the referrals of patients being treated in 2010-11 in comparison to previous years. This is due to outreach clinics now being held in Scotland where the consultant can see a greater number of patients for assessment which has led to an increase in patients being referred outside of Scotland.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were treated in hospital as a result of falls on snow or ice in the winter of 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the number of emergency inpatient hospital admissions related to falls involving ice and snow between 1 November 2009 and 28 February 2010.

  Month of Admission

  

Diagnosis
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010


Fall on same level involving ice and snow 
8
932
823
170



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

NHS Expenditure

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each NHS board has spent on administration in 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: The amount spent by each NHS board on administration costs in 2009-10 is shown in the following table:

  

NHS Board
£000


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
57,210


NHS Borders
15,525


State Hospital
4,518


National Waiting Times Centre
7,695


NHS Fife
41,826


NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
189,918


NHS Highland
44,362


NHS Lanarkshire
71,555


NHS Grampian
59,408


NHS Orkney
4,279


NHS Lothian
98,779


NHS Tayside
60,977


NHS Forth Valley
31,633


NHS Western Isles
8,242


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
20,937


NHS Shetland
3,699


Scotland
720,565*



  Source: Scottish Health Service Costs Book 2009-10.

  Note:*Figures do not add exactly due to roundings.

  Due to changes in the way that the 2009-10 figures have been collected, these are not directly comparable with those published in previous years. The main changes relate to the exclusion of some senior medical and nursing costs and the inclusion of costs for a number of functions such as pharmacy, catering, property maintenance and transport which have now been reclassified as administration costs.

Roads

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve road safety on the A76.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland assesses the safety performance of the A76 trunk road as part of the annual screening of all locations across the network where three or more injury accidents have occurred in the preceding three year period. Further investigations are carried out and where appropriate, mitigation measures are prioritised and installed. This ensures that the limited funding available can be targeted at those locations that provide the greatest accident savings.

  In the last two years Transport Scotland has spent approximately £700,000 on road safety schemes on the A76, these measures include high friction surfacing, signing, lining, bend assessment works and vehicle activated signs. This year’s safety assessment is underway and a report from the trunk road operating company, Amey, is to be submitted by the end of the year.

Roads

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to meet the A76 Corridor Partnership to discuss the five-point action plan on the upgrading of the A76.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has undertaken significant works to upgrade and improve the safety of the A76 in recent years and has provided information to the A76 Corridor Partnership. Representatives of Transport Scotland will be happy to have formal meetings with the A76 Corridor Partnership to discuss its Five Point Action Plan.

Roads

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with East Ayrshire Council regarding the proposed bypass at Mauchline.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has not had any recent discussions with East Ayrshire Council regarding a proposed bypass of Mauchline. The Scottish Government and Transport Scotland remains committed to improving the safety and operation of the A76 in accordance with the outcome of the Strategic Transport Projects Review.